Electric horological savings device



J. E. WHEELER ELECTRIC HOROLOGICAL SAVINGS DEV ICE Filed Oct. 51, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet May 17, w32.

J. E. WHEELER ELECTRIC HOROLOGIGAL *SAVINGS DEVICE Filed Oct. 31, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- May 17, 1932.

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i, -L E Patented May 17, 1932 PATENT OFFICE K'J'KOHN E. XWHIIELIEIIB',v CHICAGO, ILLINOIS f e aurora-1c HoRoLoGIcAL SAVINGS DEVICE Application led October 31, 1930. Serial No. 492,515.

This invention relates to a savings device of the horologicaltype and more particularly to a coin controlled electricfhorological device.

An object of this invention is to Yadapt an electric clock as a device to ing of money.

Another object of this invention is to provide a coin controlled means in connection with an electric clock, and novel means whereby the operation of the clock may be controlled by the deposit of coins therein.

It is a further object of this invention t6 provide coin controlled means in connection vwith an electric clock, wherein the clock willl be operated forapredetermined period of time, when a coin is deposited, and will automatically stop at the termination of said period of time upon the failure to deposit 2 another coin. It is also an object of this invention to provide coin controlled means for an electric clock, which is operable upon the depositof acoin to cause the clock to operate for a predetermined period of time, and in which a marginal period of time is provided during which another coin maybe deposited for the purposeof causing the clock to continue `to operate for an additional period of time 3 after the termination of the first period of time. i

-In accordance with the general features of this invention, there is provided a make and break device which is actuated by the clock mechanism; The electric circuits controlled by this device are connected to electro-magnetic means in such a manner that, after said means are initially energized by the deposit of a coin and the clock started, `the control of the clock will he augmented by the operation of the make and break device.

Other and furtherimportant objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and accompanying drawings.-

.This .invention (in a preferred orm)' is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully` described. l

promote the sav` On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of an electric clock embodying the features of my invention.

Figure 2 is a ,longitudinal vertical sectional view through the housing of the clock showing the operative relationship of the component parts therein, taken substantially on line II-II of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal horizontal vsectional view Vthrough the housing showing 00 means for controlling the operation of the clock, taken substantially on line III-III of Figure 2'.

Figure 4) is a transverse sectional view through the housing of the clock showing the terminalconnections to the relays therein, taken substantially on line IV-IV of Figure Figure 5 is a simplified wiring diagram showing the circuit connection between the component parts of the control mechanism for the clock.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view `through a portion of the coin conduit showing coin contacting membersl for completing an lelectrical circuit, when a coin is deposited therein, taken substantially on line Vl-VI of Figure 2. h

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view through the control disc showing the engagement of one of the/contact strips or brushes therewith taken substantially on line -VII-- VII of Figure 2.

As illustrated in the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the clock 95 comprises a base 1 to which a housing 2 is secured, said base and housing conjointly forming a closure for the component parts of the clock. A partition 3 is arranged in the lower portion of the housing to form a compartment for receiving the deposited coins. Although not shown in the drawings it is obvious that some form of means, such as a door, may be placed in the housing to provide access to this compartment in order thatI the y deposited coins may be removed. This door is preferably itted with a lock to prevent unauthorized opening thereof. A coin conduit 4 havingitslower end secured in the partithe coin receiving compartment.

tion 3 and its upper end secured in the top portion of the housing is provided for conducting coins from outside the housing into y This conduit is apertured on opposite sides adjacent its lower end to'facilltate the mounting of coin contacting members 5--5 for engagement by a'coin 6 in passing through said conduit, the contact of the coin with said members being effectiveto close an electric circuit. The members 5-5 are formed of flexible metallic strips which are mounted in converging relationship, the upper end of each strip being secured to an insulating member 7 which extends across one of the aforementioned apertures in the sides of the conduit. Terminals 8-8 are electrically associated with the coin contacting members and are provided with nuts 9-9 to facilitate theconnection. of electrical conductors thereto. It is desirable to curve the upper end of the `coin conduit adjacent its connection to the top of the housing in order `to prevent closing the electrical circuit through the coin contacting members b inserting an object other than a coin into the upper end of the coin conduit.

Arranged within the housing and supported upon the partition' 3 is the mechanism of an electric clock, the face 10 of which as shown in Figure 1, is visible through the front wall of the housing. 4This clock may be of the usual type and is shown as consisting of a driving motor 11 which has a pinion 12 fixedly secured to its shaft 13. The pinion 12 meshes with a ear 14 on a sleeve 15 which extends into an is operatively connected to the clock mechanism which is generally indicated at 16, for operating the hands of the clock. The hour hand shaft 17 extends rearwardly of the clock mechanism and has a pinion 18 secured thereto, this pinion meshing with a gear 19 having a sleeve 20, which is freely rotatable on a shaft 21. The sleeve 20 has lixedly secured thereto a-pinion 22 which meshes with a rotatably mounted gear 22a which in turn meshes with a rotatably mounted gear 23. Gbviously, the shaft -17 of the hour hand will make one revolution each hour and it is the purpose of the aforementioned train of gears to rovide a connection to the hour hand sha tin which the ratio of speed reduction is such that the gear 23 will make one complete revolution when the hour hand shaft has been rotated twenty-four times.` In other Words, the gear 23 will make one complete revolution in twenty-four hours.

An insulating disc 24 is secured to one face of the gear 23 and is provided with a metallic inlay in the form of a ring 25 having its exposed surface liush with the exposed surface of the disc. A portion of the inner edge of the ring 25 is outwardly offset at 26 to form a contracted Y portion 27 of the ring which Lacasse extends substantially one-half of the circumference thereof. Likewise the other half of projects to form a flush surface between thel ring and disc.

A brush contact member 31 is insulatingly secured to the top of the housing so that its free end will overlie the ring 25 and make continuous contact with its opposed surface. Another brush contact is similarly supported so that itsfree end will make contact with the outer margin of the ring and will be electrically disconnected therefrom When the portion 30 of the disc passes thereunder, as shown YLin Figure 7. A brush-'contact 33, which is mounted in a similar manner to the other portions 27 and 28, the outer edge` brush contacts, is arranged to engage with the l 3() of the disc, it will, upon revolving t e ring counter-clockwise make contact therewith before the contact 33 is disen aged therefrom. A suitable terminal 33a is electrically associated with each of the brush contact members to facilitate connecting a conductor thereto.

A sleeve 34 which rotates with the gear 23 and the parts connected thereto, `extends through one arm of a supportin ,bracket 35 and consequently moves relative t ereto. The outer end of this sleeve is darkened throughoutl one-half of its circumference as at 36 to differentiate from its undarkened portion 36a. An indicating arrow 37 is inscribed on the bracket 35 contiguous to the end of the sleeve. This arrow should be so placed that, when the brush contact 32 is in engagement with the portion 30 of the disc, the arrow will be in registration with the lowermost junction between the aforementioned darkened and undarkened portions. An aperture 37 is provided in the back'wall of the housing in order that the end of the sleeve and arrow may be visible from the exterior of the housing. In initially starting the clock, it is desirable to start'it with the arrow in the posi` tion described above, to assure a full running Yperiod of twenty-four hours for the ooin deposited duringI the time when the arrow points to the undarkened portion/ 36a of the sleeve. r

` Relays generally indicated as 38 and 39 are mounted within the housing. These rela s are circuit closing and the armature of t e relay 38 carries an insulating metallic member 40 and a corresponding member 41, these members being so disposed that when the relay is actuated, the member 40 will make contact with members 42 and 43, and the member 41 will make contact with members 44 and d5. Similarly when the relay' 39 is operated, its contact member 16 will make contact with members 47 and 48 and its contact member 49 will make contact with members 50 and 51. lEach of the foregoing members is provided with a suitable terminal 51a for facilitating the connection of a conductor thereto.

y The operation of my device will be as follows:

The clock should always be started with the ring 25 in the position as shown in Figure 5, that is, with the brush contact 32 in engage- 'ment with the portion 30 of the disc. The

clock is started by dropping a coin 6 into the coin conduit, saidcoin passing between and u, engaging the coin contacting members 5--5 to momentarily energize the coil of relay 38 through the following circuit: From one side ot the supply circuit 52, conductor 53, niembers 5-5 and coin 6, conductor 54, conductor 55 to one terminal of the actuating coil, from the other terminal of the coil through conductor 56., conductor 57 and thence tothe other side'ot the supply circuit 58. i

f Since the paage of the coin between the members 5-5 willcstablish only a momen- -tary circuit to the actuating coil of relay 38,. it is necessary upon `the closing ofthis relay to establish a holding in circuit to its coil.

This circuit is as follows: From the side 52v of the supply circuit,- conductor 59,`conduc tor 60, conductor 6l. contacts 31 and 33, conductor 62, contacts 4d and 45, conductor '54,

conductor 55 to one terminal ot the coil, from the other terminal of the coil through conductor 56, conductor 57, and thence to the other side of the supply circuit 58.

The closing of the relay 38 will energize the coil of relay 39 and cause it to close` the coilcircuit being as follows: From one side of the supply circuit 52` conductor 59. conductor 60, conductor 64. contacts 13 and 4t2, conductor 65, conductor 66 to one terminal of the coil, trom the other terminal of the coil through conductor 67. conductor 57 andthence to the other side of the supplycircuit 58. V

The closing of the relay 39 will start the operation of the clock motor 11 through the following circuit: From the one side of the i i supply circuit 52. conductor 59` conductor 68,

conacts 50 and 51. conductor 69 to one. terminal of the motor, from the other terminal of the motor through conductor 70, and thence to theiother side of the Supplyl circuit 58.

YTheimotor thus being started will operate the clock and the disc 25 so that it will be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction and make one complete revolution in a period of twenty-four hours. As the disc25 continues to rotate the brush contact 32 will be disengaged from the portion 30 of the disc and will engage the metallic ring 25. As soon as this takes place, and since the relays 38 and 39 are now both closed, the actuating coil ofthe relay 39 will be connected to the supply circuit through a parallel circuit as follows: From one side of the supply. circuit 52, coniy ductor 59, conductor 60, conductor 61, contacts 31 and 32, conductor 71, contacts t7 and 48, conductor 72, conductor 66 to one termiwill he disengaged from the ring 25 and the holding circuit for the coil of relay 38 `Will he` interrupted', thereby permitting said relay to open. The relay 39 continues closed and the motor operates to rotate the disc 25. lt will be noted, that after this disc hasmoved through one-halt revolution or the equiva. lent ot an elapse of twelve hours time, the brush contact 33 `will again engage the ring 25. This has no edect, however, so lar as operating any ot the devices is concerned, Since the lrelay 38 is open. lf an additional ,coin is not dropped into the coin conduit, the disc will continue to more and at ythe termination of the twent \'-tour hour period from the time ot starting the contact 22 will again be in engagement with portion 30 within the notch 29; the result being that the holding circuit of the actuating coil ot reperiod, during which time vthe brush contact 33 is engaging the portion 28 of the ring, the

relay 38 wlll again be closed by energizinf' the same circuit as previously described; ince the closing of relay 38 establishes a parallel Jfeed circuit to the coil o relay 39, it is obvious that the disc maynow be rotated until the brush contact 32 engages the portion 30 without tripping out relay 39 since its coil is energized through the circuit passing throu h the contacts of relay 38. The dise will t erefore continue to operate lor an additional period vof twenty-four hours and will stop unless a coin 'is deposited during the latter -12 hours of said period. It will, therefore, be evident that after the clock is once started-it will be neceary -to deposit an additional coin during the latter twelve hours of each twenty-four hour period in order to keep the clock operating continuously.

My invention, therefore, provides a savings device having a coin controlled'electric termined period of time, and in which a marginal "interval of time is provided during which another coin may be deposited for the purpose of causing the clock to continue to operate for an addit-ional` period of time after the termination of the first period of time.

I am aware that numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the spirit of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise thanis necessitated by the state of the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a coin depositary of an electrically driven clock, a supply circuit for said clock, a coin conduit having contacts arranged so as to be closed bythe deposit of a coin therein, a circuit closing relay actuated bythe closing of said contacts, a second relay for closingsaidzsupply circuit when its operating coil is energized by the closing of said first relay, and a controller for effecting a sequential opening of said re lays.

2. The combination with a coin depositary ofan electrically driven clock, a supply cir-A cuit for said clock, a coin conduit having contacts arranged so as to be closed by the deposit of a coin therein, a circuit closing relay actuatable by the closing of said contacts, a second relay for closing said supply circuit when its operating coil is energized by the closing of said first relay. and a controller operative to close a holding in circuit to the operating coil of the second relay and open said first relay, said holding in `circuit being interrupted by said controller after a predetermined period of time.

3. An electric horological savings device comprising an electric clock. and coin actuated means for controlling the operation of the clock, and for automatlcally causing the clock to operate for a given period of time lsuch as twelve hours upon the deposit of a coin in the device, and including means operable upon the lapse of said period of time for arresting the operation of the clock after the lapse of a second period of time in the event that another deposit is not made within the second eriod.

4. The com ination with a coin depositary offan electrically drivenclock, a supply circuit for said clock, a coin conduit having contacts arranged so as to be closed by the deposit of a coin threin, a circuit closing relay actuatable by the closing of said contacts,

y a second relay for closingl said supply circuit when its operating coil is de-energized by the operative to close a holding in circuit to the operating coil of the second relay and open said first relay,lsaid holdin in circuit being interrupted by said control er after a predetermined period of time, and contacts in said controller arranged to close and remain closed for an interval of time prior to the termination of said predetermined riod of time to permit said first relay to e again closed by the deposit of another coin, this latter operation of the first relay'closing a circuit to the operating coil of said second relay, whereby the interruption of said holding circuit by the controller will be ineffective.

5. The combination witha coin depositary of an electrically driven clock, a metallic ring mounted for rotation about a central axis an'd connected to the driving mechanism of said clock, said ring having a portion of its inner edge outwardly offset and an inwardly extending notch in its outer edge, a member in continuous contact with said ring, a second member adjacent the inner margin of said ring arranged to be disengaged therey from at said offset portion, and a third member for engagement with the outer portion of said ring, said latterJmember being disengaged to form its registration with said notch. and electro-magnetic means connected to said members fqr controlling the operation of said clock in response t'o the rotation of said ring.

`6. An electric clock `banlr comprising a housing, a coin conduitin said housing com- 'mlmlcatmg with the exterlor thereof, contacts associated with said conduit for closing an electrical circuit upon the deposit of a' oin in said conduit, means in said housing for making and breaking a plurality of electric circuits in a-predetermined sequence, said means being connected to and actuated by the mechanism of said clock, a plurality of relays connected to said circuit, said relays being initially responsive to the closing of said contacts to start said clock, whereupon said means is actuated and the relays tripped out in said predetermined sequence.

7. In a savings bank, an electric clock asscoiated therewith including a driving motor, a supply circuit, a relay for connecting said motor to said circuit when its actuating coil is energized, a second relay for simultaneously connecting to said circuit the actuating coil of said first relay and establishing a maintaining circuit to lts own actuating coil when its coil is energized, a coin controlled switch for initially connecting the actuating coil and second relay to said circuit, control means actuated by the mechanism of said clock, said means being arranged to establish a maintaining circuit to the coil of said first relay, said circuit being parallel to that through the second relay, and interclosing of said first relay, and a controller rup't the circuit through the second relay to 1 the coil thereof, whereupon said relay is opened, said means also eing arran ed to interrupt the maintaining circuit of sa1d first relay after a predetermined period of time, but if another coin is deposited prior to the termination of said period the control means will be ineffective to interrupt the maintaining circuit of said rst relay at the termination of said period. v lo 8. An electric horological savings device comprising an electric clock, and coin actuated means for controlling the operation of the clockand for automatically causing the clock to operate for a given period of time 1d such as twelve hours upon the receipt of a coin in the device, and including means operable upon the lapse of said period of time for arresting the operation of the clock after the lapse of a second period of time inthe 23 event that another deposit is not made With in the second period, and means for indicating whether the clock is operating in the first or second period of time.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at Chicago, Cook County,

Illinois.

JOHN E. WHEELER. 

